Merida Events: SLOW Food Market

Events in the following municipalities this week are related to honoring their patron saints. Look for religious processions and church services, along with good food and cultural events, rather than a “county fair” atmosphere. If you are a visitor or potential new resident, these are the events you want to attend in order to answer the ever-present question “Yes – but what is life really like in most of the State of Yucatan?” We think you will be as surprised as we were!

Teabo Fiesta – 6 Day Event: April 28 through May 3
This fiesta is in honor of Santa Cruz. The artisans here make typical clothing for both men and women. They also do embroidery by both hand and machine. If you are looking for a cotton hammock, you’ll find it in Teabo, along with excellent leatherwork. Teabo is located just north of Tekax and to the east of Mani and Akil.

Conkal Fiesta 9 Day Event – May 1 to May 8
This fiesta is in honor of Santa Cruz. Conkal is a wonderful municipality with many talented artisans. Look here for machine embroidery, cotton hammocks, and carved wood boxes. Conkal is located on Merida’s northeastern border and is in what might easily be termed “the greater Merida metropolitan area.

Baca Fiesta 3 Day Event – May 1 to May 3
This fiesta is in honor of Santa Cruz. Baca is just south and west of Motul and is home to two of the churches that have been restored as part of the state-wide restoration process. Don’t miss seeing either of them!

Cairo Cinema Cafe: Spirit of the Passion
This Korean movie is also known as Bin-jip and 3-Iron. A transient young man breaks into empty homes to partake of the vacationing residents’ lives for a few days. In 2004, the movie won Best Director’s Award and others at the Venice Film Festival, and has won many additional awards since.Location: Calle 20 # 98-A x 15 y 17Time: Monday, 7:00 PMAdmission: Free

Tuesday (Martes) April 27, 2010

Cairo Cinema Cafe: Turtles Can Fly
(2004 Netherlands) Near the Iraqi-Turkish border on the eve of an American invasion, refugee children like 13-year-old Kak (Ebrahim), gauge and await their fate. Among many others, this film won the Berlin and Mexico City International Film Festivals in the last few years. Location: Calle 20 # 98-A x 15 y 17Time: Tuesday, 7:00 PMAdmission: Free

Tuesday of Trova: Rhythms of My Land
This is a performance by Group Zaz-il K’ay under the direction of Jose Luis MoguelLocation: Auditorium of the Olimpo, Calle 61 at Calle 62Time: Tuesday, 8:30 PMAdmission: Free

Music and Dance: Know Your Traditions
Performing tonight will be the wonderful Orquesta Jaranera del Mayab and the Folkloric Ballet of the State of Yucatan. This is lively, traditional dancing in full-dress costume with live music… quite a show!Location:Teatro Daniel Ayala, Calle 60 x 61Time: Tuesday, 9:00 PMAdmission:Space is limited, so please call the Direccion de Area de Education Artistica for reservations: 925-5635

Movie: Howl’s Moving Castle
(Japan 2004). When a less than confident young woman is cursed with an old body by a spiteful witch, her only chance of breaking the spell lies with a self-indulgent yet insecure young wizard and his companions. This is a Japanese animated movie.Location: Centro Cultural Jose Marti / Parque de las Americas, Avenida Colon and Calle 20, Garcia GineresTime: 8:00 PMAdmission: Free

Music: Remembering the Composers
This event is in special recognition of Luis Demetrio Traconis and also the 40-year career of Ligia Camara Blum. Special performances tonight by Ligia Camara and Trio Ensueno. If you don’t know who Ligia Camara Blum is, Click Hereand Here. We’ve lived here awhile, and we can tell you that performances at the Music Museum are not that common, and are always special. If you can go, do!Location:Museo de la Cancion YucatecaTime: Wednesday, 9:00 PMAdmission: Tickets available at the box office

Wednesday in Concert: Gil Gil
This is one of the most prolific performers and groups in Yucatan and these performances are always a treat.Location: Auditorium of the Olimpo, Calle 61 x Calle 62Time: Wednesday, 9:00 PMAdmission: Free

Opera: From Mozart to America and Back
Around and back through three centuries of music.Location: Teatro Peon Contreras, Calle 60 x Calle 57Time: Thursday, 9:00 PMAdmission: Free

Classical Thursday: A Fantasia Musical
This performance is by the Camerata Academica de Merida, easily one of the best chamber orchestras we have ever heard. They are under the direction of Merida’s own Jose Luis Chan Sabido.Location: Auditorium of the Olimpo, Calle 61 x Calle 62Time: Thursday, 7:00 PMAdmission: Free

The End of the Legendary Yucatones?
Of course not! But this is your last chance to catch the Legendary Yucatones until September, since the boys take off for the summer. Tonight, the boys promise that the second half of the show will be ALL Beatles. Location:El HoyoTime: Thursday, 9:00 PMAdmission: No cover, great food and full bar!

Cinema: A Pig Through Paris (American Title: A Trip Across Paris)
(France, Italy, 1956). During the Nazi occupation of Paris, a clumsy and naïve man is forced to leave the city carrying pork for the black market in several suitcases. He meets a painter and the two continue on together. Stars: Jean Gabin, Bourvil, and Jeannette Batti.
This is a pretty obscure movie, which means it might be a lot of fun.Location: Videosala of the Olimpo, Calle 60 at Calle 62Time: Thursday, 6:00 PMAdmission: Free

Cinema: The Informers
(2008 Israel) A multi-strand narrative film set in early 1980′s Los Angeles, centered on an array of characters who represent both the top of the heap (a Hollywood dream merchant, a dissolute rock star, an aging newscaster) and the bottom (a voyeuristic doorman, an amoral ex-con). Connecting the intertwining strands are a group of beautiful, blonde young men and women who sleep all day and party all night, doing drugs — and one another –with abandon, never realizing that they are dancing on the edge of a volcano. Location: Centro Cultural Jose Marti / Parque de las Americas, Avenida Colon and Calle 20, Garcia GineresTime: Thursday, 8:30 PMAdmission: Free

Friday (Viernes) April 30, 2010

Day of the Children
In Mexico, today (like every day, as you KNOW your mother would say…) is Children’s Day.

Closing Concert: Arturo Castro
From now until the Summer break, look for more and more wonderful performances just like this!Location: Teatro Peon Contreras, Calle 60 x Calle 57Time: Friday, 9:00 PMAdmission: Free

Concert: New Trova in the Cultural Centers
This is a concert by Trio Los Duendes del Mayab (The Three Mayan Dwarves)Location: Teatro Cesareo Chan Blanco, Centro Cultural Ricardo Lopez Mendez (across from Cordemex on Prolongación Paseo de Montejo… just past Gran Plaza, on the same side of the street)Time: Friday, 8:00 PMAdmission: Free

Movie: La Infancia de Ivan
(1962 USA): 12-year old Ivan works as a spy at the eastern front. The small Ivan can cross the German lines unnoticed to collect information. Stars: Nikolay Burlyaev, Valentin Zubkov, and Yevgeni Zharikov.Location: Videosala of the Olimpo, Calle 61 x Calle 62Time: Friday, 8:00 PMAdmission: Free

Cairo Cinema: The Fog
(1980 U.S.). Did you like the movie Halloween? If so, you’ll love this. The same writer/director, John Carpenter, sets this film in a Northern California fishing town, built 100 years ago over an old leper colony. It is the target for revenge by a killer fog containing zombie-like ghosts seeking revenge for their deaths. This movie stars Adrienne Barbeau, Jamie Lee Curtis and Janet Leigh, John Houseman, Hal Holbrook, and Jim Haynie.Location: Calle 20 # 98-A x 17 y 15, Col. ItzimnaTime: Friday, 7:00 PMAdmission: Free

Saturday (Sábado) May 1, 2010

Box Azteca!
Impacto Total! Boxing comes to Merida. Omar Chavez vs. Arelis Lopez, and Barretas Pinzon vs. El Indo, Jamie Barboza. We have no idea who these guys are but, if you want to catch a boxing match, apparently, there is a big one coming here! There will be other boxers too, in four explosive fights (so says the poster).Location: Inalambrica Stadium (on Jacinto Canek, west of downtown)Time: Saturday, 8:00 PMAdmission: Tickets start at $100 pesos and go up to VIP tickets at $500 pesos. Tickets are on sale at Asis Tu Vestir Centro and Juega Juega, and we’re thinkin’ at the box office.

Slow Food Market Is Gaining Steam!
The Slow Food Market continues to be a rousing success! In order to serve the needs of those who work on weekdays, the market has been permanently moved to Saturdays. The location is pleasant, surrounded by garden. The offerings get better all the time (last week, we bought organic watermelon, homemade kimchee (two kinds!), a homemade dip (yum!) and some irresistible home-baked bread from Monique’s yellow-walled Bakery, inside the little house that hosts the market. The bakery really looks and smells like a bakery, and features the most amazing whole-grain, non-preservative-filled breads… we dare you to resist buying one! Location: Calle 31 x 60, Chuburna de Hidalgo, catty-cornered to the Super Faraon (turn at the light across the street from the OXXO).Time: Saturday, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM Admission: Free – but please consider becoming a member (and encourage others to do so as well)! Membership is only $100 pesos per year and directly supports keeping the market going, as well as providing assistance to sustainable and organic production in Yucatan. There is a membership sign-up table on the porch on market day.

Sunday (Domingo) May 2, 2010

You Are Invited to Sunday Brunch Once a Month
In partnership with MexicaChica Getaways, Remixto is taking over the patio garden of hotel Casa Mexilio to create an underground restaurant, where brunch will be served once a month. The menu will feature gourmet classic brunch dishes with a mexican twist – like lechon benedict and rompope french toast – all made from scratch and using as many locally-sourced ingredients as possible. Location: Calle 68 #495 x 57 y 59, One block from Plaza SantiagoTime: Sunday, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PMAdmission: Prices are listed on the menu. Seating is limited, so book a table at remixtobrunch [at] gmail [dot] com or call (999) 901-5430

Bullfights in Merida
Come out and see the greatest bull fighter in Mexico, Sebastian Castella, along with Eulalio Lopez. Location: Plaza de Toros, Avenida de ReformaTime: Sunday, 4:00 PMAdmission: Tickets went on sale at the box office on April 23. It looks as if making a reservation is the best way to go. For reservations, call (999) 217-0908

Coming Soon

Spectacular Expat Garage Sale
This is a ONE DAY EVENT. At the end of the sale, whatever is left will be taken to Caritas of Merida (Catholic Charities) where it will be given to the poor. We already have some exquisite women’s clothing to sell. The sale will be fabulous if you too use this opportunity to get rid of "stuff", clothes, housewares, electronics or whatever you no longer need, want, wear or use and let us pick it up and sell it to someone who will treasure it.

Please spread the word especially to your Mexican friends. You can email or phone Martha Lindley or Laura Perkins to arrange pick-up or drop-off of your items. They are also looking for volunteers to staff the event.

Starting June 11: Carmen
Friend of Merida Carla Dirlikov will be starring in the Yucatan Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Carmen. This is sure to be a stunning event that will be repeated for only six performances. Tickets are on sale NOW at the Teatro Peon Contreras… get yours if you want to be sure to see this! For the entire Symphony schedule, check here.

June 12 & 13 – Maya Sacred Fire of the New Moon Ceremony in Izamal

Don Bartolome is a Maya priest, healer, and teacher from Yucatán. His mission is to rescue the ancient Maya ceremonies and he does this by performing them whenever he can. He does not charge for his ceremonies. Despite that, we are asking for a $500 pesos donation from anyone attending which will go directly towards his expenses. We feel his work is important and well worth supporting. On June 13, beginning at 6:00 AM, Don Bartolome will be performing the Sacred Fire of the New Moon Ceremony in Izamal. The rest of the weekend program includes a conference and music concert at Hotel Macanche, where we will be spending the night, a pilgrimage with Don Bartoleme to the Izamal pyramids and convent and a conference with Don Bartoleme.Location: Izamal, YucatanDate: June 12, 1 PM to June 13, 5 PMAdmission: $825 pesos per person, double occupancy. $1150 pesos per person for single room.
Includes the night at Hotel Macanche, American breakfast at Hotel Macanche, Don Bartoleme’s donation, and all the ceremonies and activities.Register: Contact Trudy Woodcock at trudy [at] iluminado-tours [dot] com or call 924-3176 in Merida.

Second Annual Solar Day (worldwide)

June 19 is SolarDay 2010, a national and international day of recognition for Solar Energy, Sustainability and Energy Independence. The first SolarDay in the U.S. was held in 2009.
For more information, visit Solar Day’s Website.

4th of July BBQ
Sponsored by MELL, IWC, and the Merida Men’s Club.
Mark your calendars! This will be the last of the big events at MELL until the Snowbirds come home to Yucatan again! We’ll keep you posted about time and location as new information comes in.

10th International Festival of Choirs Yucatan
This is a 6 month long festival that begins on April 8th and travels from Jalisco to Merida and on to Colombia and Venezuela before its final performances in Merida in October. If you would like to travel outside of Mexico to hear some of these performances, visit the MySpace page of Conjunto Vocal Yucatanfor a complete listing of the international dates. In case there is anyone who doesn’t believe that a voice is the equivalent of a musical instrument or that a choir is the equivalent of an orchestra, we invite you to listen to samples of the work of Conjunto Vocal Yucatan on their MySpace page. We especially liked “A una dama que iba cubierta” and “La Conchinita Pibil.”
Performance dates in Merida include:May 29 & 30, 2010: Concert under the direction of maestro Electo Silva (Cuba) July 10 & 11, 2010: Concert under the direction of maestro Jose Antonio Rincon (Colombia)October 9 & 13, 2010: 10th International Festival of Choirs Yucatan and 25th Anniversary of Conjunto Vocal Yucatan.

November 21, 2010 – Taste of Playa
This is a huge annual event where over 40 restaurants are highlighted in a one day event. It was a great success last year, so be sure and put it on your list for Fall travel “must see and do.” Time: 2 PM to 9 PMMore: Check the details on the Taste of Playa website.Location: Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo